2025 Anywhere Festival Award Nominations

Since its inception in 2011, Anywhere Festival has redefined the boundaries of performance. From rooftops to hidden alleys, living rooms to bustling breweries, the festival has brought theatre, music, comedy, storytelling, immersive, participatory, live art, circus and more to unexpected locations, making art accessible to all and challenging what a stage can be. 

It’s a festival where ambition meets raw creativity, and the 2025 Anywhere Awards shine a light on those who have pushed these boundaries the furthest.

This year’s nominees are an exciting mix of fresh faces and established talents. From first-time producers to beloved local performers from the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Moreton Bay, and the Sunshine Coast, the lineup reflects the ambition of local artists.

The awards are based on a combination of audience feedback, reviewer insights, industry professionals, and Anywhere Festival. Audience participation plays a vital role in the process, with every vote, comment, and review considered, ensuring that even the most intimate shows with smaller capacities are celebrated alongside larger productions.

The nominees for 2025 Anywhere Awards are…

Anywhere Award for use of space

• The Bear Truth | ME n U Theatre Co. | City Botanic Gardens
• The Case of The Butterfly in the Jar | Mimi Ruiz | Bardon House
• EDNA-GY | Kathryn Collins, Grace Lofting, Griffin Walsh and Sophie Wickes | Do-Op Shop, Annerley
• Lamps Are Hot | Jaya | The Townhouse, New Farm
• The Weight We Wear | Micaela Valerio and Maria Florencia | Frankx Studio, Warana
• Too Much Influence | Vacant Collective Theatre | Ashgrove House

Anywhere Award for Dance and Physical Theatre

• Exocytosis | Solstice Dance Collective | The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• Identity | DIVE Theatre Collective | North Lakes Community Centre
• Lamps Are Hot | Jaya | The Townhouse, New Farm
• PUSH | Screech Arts | The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• The Weight We Wear | Micaela Valerio and Maria Florencia | Frankx Studio, Warana

Anywhere Award for Comedy

• Bard Wars IV: Hope Renew’d | The Artful Dodgers | Bardon Hall
• Bawdy Tales & Critical Fails: A Role Play Adventure | Role Initiative Theatre Company | North Lakes Community Centre, Newmarket Hall, Paddington Hall
• Murder at the Bowlo’ | Improv Queensland | Narangba Bowls Club + other locations
• Sportsball | Improv Queensland | Kurilpa Hall, West End
• This Is Your Trial | Act React | Hip Hop Brewers, Brendale & Raven Cellar Bar, West End

Anywhere Award for Music

• KMak / Angel Strings at the Planetarium | Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mt Coot-tha
• The Ladysinger’s Record Parlour (Vol. 2) | Anje West | The Parlour, Fairfield
• The Return | Beetle Miyela | The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar | Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar | Burpengary Community Hall & The Hills District Community Centre
• The Tragic Tale of Dr Faustus | Sepulchre Serenade | The Paint Factory, Yeronga

Anywhere Award for Spoken Work and Storytelling

• Crossroads: my stories of Balibo | Anne E Stewart | Meigunyah House, Albion
• Metamorphosis | Calvin Smith | Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mt Coot-tha
• Native Tongue – Migration Stories | Vanessa Gordon | The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• Ō te Po! – Of the night! | Makareta KL | Sandbag Community Hall, Sandgate
• Theatre of The Last Breath | Annie Caulfield | Humanitas High School

Anywhere Award for Theatre

• The Bear Truth | ME n U Theatre Co. | City Botanic Gardens & Backbone Seven Hills Hub
• Clutter | Pippy Productions | The Raven Cellar Bar, West End
• Crow’s Nest | The Velvet Collective & The Travelling Rose Theatre | The Station, Fortitude Valley
• EDNA-GY | Kathryn Collins, Grace Lofting, Griffin Walsh and Sophie Wickes | Do-Op Shop, Annerley
• She Works Hard For (No) Money | Backyard Flamingo | The Precinct, Fortitude Valley
• Smoke & Mirrors | JJ Jones and Lily Shaw | The Pole Gym, Brisbane CBD

Anywhere Award for Immersive Experience

• The Case of the Butterfly in the Jar | Mimi Ruiz | Bardon House
• Lamps Are Hot | Jaya | The Townhouse, New Farm
• Native Tongue – Migration Stories | Vanessa Gordon | The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• The Return | Beetle Miyela | The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• She Works Hard For (No) Money | Backyard Flamingo | The Precinct, Fortitude Valley
• Smoke & Mirrors | JJ Jones and Lily Shaw | The Pole Gym, Brisbane CBD

Anywhere Award for a location

• 404 Bowen Terrrace, New Farm
• Do Op, Annerley
• The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mt Coot-tha
• The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• Bus Stops around Brisbane

Audience Vote

• Dying! | Kodi Ryke | Cyberbunker, Fortitude Valley
• Exocytosis | Solstice Dance Collective | The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar | Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar | Burpengary Community Hall & The Hills District Community Centre
• The Tragic Tale of Dr Faustus | Sepulchre Serenade | The Paint Factory, Yeronga
• The Case of the Butterfly in the Jar | Mimi Ruiz | Bardon House

The awards will be announced on Friday 15 August 2025 on our socials at @anywherefestbrisbane, @anywherefestmoretonbay, @anywherefestsunshinecoast and @anywherefestivals.